Pharmacology Fundamentals for Therapists

Course Description:

Patients undergoing therapy routinely take both prescription drugs and OTC medicines that ultimately influence treatment outcomes. Therapists with knowledge of these medicines practice safer, more effective therapy. The course will examine Rx and non-Rx medicine used in the therapy setting and will cover side effects that influence treatment and outcomes. Information will focus on drug actions and patient errors when treating pain, as well as common disorders of the musculoskeletal, neurologic, cardiorespiratory, and endocrine systems. Common OTC drugs and herbals are examined for occult hazards and drug interactions. Electronic resources for free drug-related information will be demonstrated.

Upon completion of this course, the participant will:
1. Describe basic factors that control drug uptake, bioavailability, and metabolism.
2. List benefits, limitations, and adverse effects of drug families used to treat inflammation and pain.
3. Classify drug families and drugs used to treat disorders and diseases of the musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiorespiratory, and endocrine systems.
4. Describe how drug choices and administration influence therapy outcomes, including common errors in drug administration committed by patients.
5. Define potential harms and drug interactions for over-the-counter medications and herbals.

What Others are Saying:

"The course was extremely informative but what made the course a home run was the presenter; Mark Nash. He presented the material in an extremely organized and efficient way with dabs of good humor, and the patience to adeptly answer all questions." - Joshua Shulman

"Dr. Nash was very engaging! He made the material both interesting and applicable to various therapy settings. This course served to better explain common medications and their interactions." -Nora Seader

Every physical, occupational and speech therapist treating patients in any clinical setting should take this course! It will change the way you look at medication reconciliation-and change the way you consider the plan of care in relation to patient's medications." -Joana Brooks

"This was one of the most informative and interesting courses I have every been to in years. Dr. Nash was fantastic. I would recommend this course to any discipline in need of a good pharmacology review."

"Understanding the fundamentals for our patients is imperative. Dr. Nash was an excellent speaker giving the necessary applications to therapists. This should be a mandatory course for licensure renewal!"